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High-speed rail links urged for Ontario

A multi-billion-dollar high-speed rail system that links cities in the Greater Golden Horseshoe is crucial to Ontario's long-term economic success, according to a report commissioned by economic advisers to the premier.

A multi-billion-dollar high-speed rail system that links cities in the Greater Golden Horseshoe is crucial to Ontario's long-term economic success, according to a report commissioned by economic advisers to the premier.

The report also calls on the Ontario government to consider leading the way in the switch from gasoline-powered cars to plug-in hybrid vehicles. As a possible target, it proposes that 25 per cent of all vehicles on the roads be plug-in hybrids by the year 2021 – requiring a major expansion of the province's energy infrastructure.

Written by a team of civil engineers at the University of Toronto, the report estimates the total cost of infrastructure work at up to $27.5 billion. But they say their recommendations address the two most pressing issues today – global warming and global recession.

The report proposes 560 kilometres of high-speed electric track that runs from Toronto north to Orillia, east to Peterborough and west to a corridor that includes Waterloo, Hamilton and Niagara Falls. It would take at least a decade to build and cost anywhere from $4 billion to $20 billion, depending on the route and technology chosen.

The rail system would help create a high-density "mega-region" by improving transportation and attracting what the report calls well-paid "creative" jobs, such as those in aerospace, finance and telecommunications.

"A high-speed rail network knitting Ontario's cities together could revolutionize the province's role within the continental and global economic systems," it says.

Called Infrastructure and the Economy: Future directions for Ontario, the 30-page report was delivered Thursday to economist Roger Martin and urban theorist Richard Florida, appointed by Premier Dalton McGuinty to chart a course to economic prosperity. Its recommendations will likely form part of the final report to the premier, expected in February.

The report's authors, a four-person team led by civil engineer Chris Kennedy, note that governments have historically unleashed massive infrastructure programs in times of crisis, such as the current economic and environmental issues.

The provincial government plans a 15 per cent reduction in greenhouse gases, below 1990 levels, by 2020, and an 80 per cent reduction by 2050. The report describes Ontario's plan to phase out coal-burning energy and Metrolinx's proposed transit projects during the next 25 years as important steps.

But it adds that Ontario's population is expected to increase to about 15 million by 2021 – with half of the 2 million growth in the Toronto region – and more needs to be done.

In an interview, Kennedy said Ontario is in a good position to encourage auto companies to produce more hybrid cars now that they are seeking bailout money.

A scenario in which 25 per cent of Ontario cars are plug-in hybrids would require an extra 2,500 megawatts of electricity during peak nightly hours, when most would be recharging their cars. It would cost between $5 billion and $7.5 billion to build the extra nuclear and wind power needed, spread over a 10-year period, the report says.

"The reduction in air pollution within cities would be noticeable and at times dramatic," the report says, adding it would also reduce imports of fossil fuels, which in 2004 cost Ontario almost $18 billion.

The move could also put Ontario at the forefront of the emerging hybrid auto sector, it argues.

The report emphasizes "mobility hubs" built around high-speed rail stations that connect passengers to local buses, trains and subways. The government should zone land around these hubs to allow for a high-density mix of residential and commercial buildings, it says.

Highway congestion would be reduced by high-speed trains that can travel, depending on the technology used, from 130 to 400 km/h, the report says. This high-speed link could eventually be extended to Ottawa, Montreal, Chicago and New York, the report says.

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